Lucknow: More devotees visited Maa Vindhyavasini Dham in Mirzapur during Navratri this year as compared to the previous year, with state govt attributing the increase to improved facilities and infrastructure development at major shrines.“Around 20 to 22 lakh devotees had visited the shrine during Navratri last year, while the number exceeded 30 lakh this year,” said Pankaj Dwivedi, president of Shri Vindhya Panda Samaj.A large number of devotees from different parts of the country visit the shrine during the festival. Along with Vindhyachal Dham, Ashtabhuja Devi Temple and Kali Khoh Temple are also major centres of faith for devotees.Alopi Devi Temple in Prayagraj has also witnessed a rise in footfall. The temple received 6.25 lakh devotees in 2024 and 11.10 lakh in 2025. By Sept 2026, around 4.05 lakh devotees had offered prayers at the shrine. During Navratri this year, more than 1.60 lakh devotees visited the temple.Temple priest Mansukh Giri said over 20,000 devotees visited the shrine daily during Navratri, with the number exceeding 30,000 on Ashtami and Navami.Around 18 lakh devotees reportedly visited Vindhyavasini Dham in Banda during the same period. There has been an approximately 2.5-fold increase in the footfall at the temple compared to 2010.A govt official said around 1.10 lakh devotees visited Jua Devi Temple in Balrampur this year, compared to 93,000 in 2023.Around 7 lakh devotees offered prayers at Badi Kali Ji Temple in Lucknow during Navratri this year.Temple manager Raj Singh said govt had sanctioned over Rs 2.28 crore for the temple’s development, providing better facilities and connectivity between religious sites to promote tourism.Tourism minister Jaiveer Singh said: “The initiatives undertaken since 2017 to develop Devi temples are an important step to promote tourism. A total of 22 major projects, worth approximately Rs 83 crore, have been initiated for 20 Devi shrines across 19 districts. These projects aim to expand tourism infrastructure at temples and ensure a smoother, more comfortable experience for devotees.”
